Best TV Tuner for Vero/OSMC

I have a Vero and want to know what’s the best TV tuner (UK BASED) for it and what software would need to be installed to take advantage of LIVE TV and EPG. I see the Vero and OSMC have a number of PVR front ends but it’s a bit of a mind field for me and any help would be useful.

Thanks

Ade

Hi Ade,

This depends on where you want to source your TV from firstly. Obviously here we have DVB-T2 (Freeview / terrestial) and DVB-S/S2 (Freesat / Astra / Sky on 28.2E). In other words, dish and aerial.

Most DVB sticks work with Vero as we ship a pretty modern Linux kernel.

The easiest way to get running with it is to install ‘TVHeadend’ via the App Store. This gives you a web interface that lets you scan for channels, map them to names and schedule recordings etc. Then after this is setup, the rest can be managed via Kodi, the web interface, or even iOS or Android I believe.

S

Something like this?

PCTV Systems DVB-T2 292e nanoStick HD TV Tuner - Watch, Pause & Record Digital Freeview Hi Definition and Standard Definition TV on your PC. Stream LIVE TV to your iPad, iPhone, PC.

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or even this?

It works, but seems some users had issues with it and DVB-T2. DVB-T2 is used to carry the HD Freeview channels.

Have a look here for some guidance

http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/DVB-T2_USB_Devices

Sam

The 292e looks like a winner to me.

The HDHomerun line of network tuners is the best/easiest way to go but I’m not sure about European TV signal support, read something about a new Euro model coming out soon, I think.

Im looking into getting live tv also and reading up the PCTV Systems DVB-T2 290e was the best choice for fully supported HD etc but seems that has now been replaced by the PCTV Systems DVB-T2 292e and requires a different a driver.

the 292e isnt on the linux tv list that sam posted.

I found this blog post linked from a few sources that confirmed it worked for them:
[eAntti’s LinuxTV Blog][1]
but they were working with ubuntu servers etc not sure if that makes much difference.

how to get the driver installed correctly on the vero if its required is over my head at the moment unfortunately but the stick certainly still seems very promising for a fully supported DVB-T2.

I have actually just received the august stick linked above in the post today as a search through amazon that looked fairly promising but looking at the linux TV thead it seems they have been struggling with HD for over a year now and still a way from fully resolving it so think im going to send that back and look into getting another, possibly the 292e ?

could anyone advise if the linked blog is pointing in the right direction to get that 292e working and possibly explain how the driver could be installed ?

Pete
[1]: Antti's LinuxTV Blog: Naked hardware #15: PCTV tripleStick (292e)

The 292e IS listed on that list, here’s the details page.

http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/PCTV_Systems_tripleStick_T2_(292e)

Driver seems to be included in the latest kernel.

no idea how I managed to miss that, it had been a long day :smile:

I think ill give it a shot and put a order in for one wont get it until Tue/Wed now with bank holidays so ill reply back how it goes

Looks like it’s in 3.16, so it would need backports to 3.14. Make sure you order one where you can return it if it does not work properly to say the least

S

Backports? How does that work? So OSMC isn’t using that kernel?

No, OSMC is using a 3.14 kernel as mentioned above.

You’ll need to compile the driver and install the firmware, but this should be doable. Unfortunately we can’t support every chip out of the box.

S

That’s a shame. The 292e seems to be one of the few relativity cheap HD sticks around. Anyway you can see adding support in a future OSMC build without end users having to jump through hoops? After all Vero is aimed at end users not techies.

ordered from a company fulfilled by amazon so is covered with Amazons return policy which has been very good in the past.

although I have basic competency in terminal etc kernels / drivers etc is not something I have experience in (something im going to have to sort out soon)

but from what I have seen this is one of the only sticks that has a working driver for linux to support the HD signal if im not mistaken the almost all the other stick only support SD ? if thats right i would say this one is certainly worth trying to get it working.

unfortunately if I cant get EastEnders in HD I have no chance of selling this to my other half :smiley:

ill do some reading anyway and see what I can do but if anyone has the knowledge and willing to look into this as well id by happy to be your test dummy :smile:

I’m hoping Sam can help us and other potential 292e users out. It seems like the 292e would make a good addition to Vero/OSMC.

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Every tuner is going to require an element of ‘setup’ unfortunately, but it may not be as bad you think.

The ‘firmware’ install involves dropping the firmware file into /lib/firmware directory.

The driver can probably be built in to our kernels.

how did you get on?

at the moment its back in its box lol

I put allot of my ramblings as I went along on another post here:

the OP on that thread got it working well for SD tv on a RPI2 although were not exactly sure how but seems the kernal modules likely just needed enabling or the problems with the appstore version of tvheadend that may have caused his initial issues. last I heared he couldn’t get HD working though.
turns out both pi versions uses 3.18 kernel so drivers are atleast already in tree
on the vero front:
basicaly from what I can tell the kernel needs recompiling with the linux tv drivers found here:

http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/How_to_Obtain,_Build_and_Install_V4L-DVB_Device_Drivers

unfortunately it wouldn’t compile with all drivers and when tried to compile selectively I got it to compile but couldn’t get the modules to load due to duplicate issues etc.

further reading suggested a cross compile of the drivers may help but ive really hit my limit without any pointers from someone more experienced in this field. unfortunately sam hasnt come back I would image he is fairly tied up getting osmc final ect and nobody else has has jumped in so somewhat stuck at the moment but I live in hope :smile:, as it stands if you have a VERO DONT BUY THIS STICK

Thanks for updating us on your findings.

So much for Vero supporting ‘Most Tuners’ :confused:

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